Dental articulator



Feb. '6, 1962 G. HINZE 3,019,529

DENTAL ARTICULATOR Filed May 11, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i INVENTOR.

: George Hinze ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1962 e. HINZE 3,019,529

DENTAL ARTICULATOR Filed May 11, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 I I so VINVENTOR. George Hinze AT TORNEY Feb. 6, 1962 G. HINZE 3,01

DENTAL ARTICULATOR Filed May 11, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 AT TO RNEY United States Patent Ofiice Bfilfifil Patented Feb. 6, 1962 3,019,529 DENTAL ail-REGULATOR George Hinze, Valley Road, Locust Vaii'ey, NY. Filed May 11, 1959, Ser. No. 812,380 2 Claims. (Cl. 32-32) This invention relates to dental 'articulators and, more particularly, to an improved dental articulator incorporating novel means providing a wide range of adjustability of the upper and lower east supporting means and assuring accurate relocation of the casts in the clamps after removal of the casts therefrom.

Dental articulators are utilized by dental technicians in forming full or partial dentures to specifications set forth by the practicing dentist. In forming or constructing such dentures, plastic casts are used and are set into upper and lower clamping means having some relative adjustment incorporated therein so that the dentures may be so constructed as to provide the proper occlusion of the teeth to furnish the necessary alignment and interaction for satisfactory mastication. The articulators are designed to simulate, to at least some extent, the normal movements of the jaws. Among other factors to be considered is the amount of possible and normal retrusion of the lower jaw, and this factor varies with different patients.

it is thus necessary that these articulators incorporate a number of relatively accurate adjustments. Hitherto, either a large number of relatively complicated adjustment means have been provided, or, in cases where it has been desired to decrease the number and complexity of the adjustments, the setting plaster has been manipulated to obtain the necessary additional adjustments. These two factors of either complexity of adjustment or reliance on setting plaster manipulation have seriously detracted from the efficiency of these articulators. Still another factor has been the lack of means for accurately re-positioning the models after removal for further finishing.

In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing disadvantages of known dental articulators are obviated by a novel and improved articulator which includes a tiltable lower platform with a backrest and clamp combination providing for the lower model to be accurately fixed in a definite position without the use of plaster of Paris. The backrest is formed with slots by means of which the model may be scribed, when initially positioned, so that it may be reset accurately in the same position.

An upper platform, having the same essential combination of scribe-permitting backrest and clamp, is mounted for adjustment vertically horizontally and angularly, as well as being tiltable in any direction. All these adjustments are effected by a universal joint mounted operable by a single set screw and locking the upper platform in a preset manner. As a further feature, the upper platform is provided with an incisal guidance pin which can be set in a vertical position irrespective of the position or orientation of the upper platform.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the articulator embodying the invention;

FIGS. 2-5 are, respectively, top plan, side elevation, rear elevation, and bottom plan views of the articulator;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the locking means for the tilting adjustments of the lower platform; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional View of a modified form of universal joint for the upper platform.

Referring to the drawings, the articulator comprises a base 10 which is T-shape in plan and has its forward end supported by a pin 11. The cross of the T-shape base is riveted to a pair of laterally spaced, upwardly and rearwardly sloping support legs 12, gussets or braces 13 rigidifying the structure. Legs 312, in cooperation with pin 11, provide a level horizontal support for base 10.

Base 1%) supports lower platform 15. Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3 through 6, a hollow stud 14 is inserted through an aperture in the stem of base 10 and locked in adjusted position therein by lock nuts 16. A ball joint 29 is inserted through the lower end of stud 14- and has a stem 2i projecting through a spherical seat 17 at the upper end of the stud. A two part spherical seat 22-23 engages the lower end of ball 20 and held in position by a cap 18 threaded on stud 14. An adjusting pin 25 extends diametrically of cap 18 through aligned apertures in seat elements 2223. Pin 25 has an enlarged outer end 24 bearing against the periphery of cap 18 and a threaded inner end 26 engaged with a threaded aperture in element 23. By turning pin 25, elements 22, 23 are drawn together to clamp ball 25 or separated to loosen the ball for adjustment.

Lower platform 15 has a nut position 27 by means of which it is threaded on stem 21 of ball joint 20. Platform 15 has a backrest 3ft formed with two or more narrow slots 31, the backrest extending above the side wall 28 of the platform. A screw 32 etxending through backrest 36 is threaded into a clamp 33 at the front end of the platform. A lower model 35 may thus be adjustably clamped on platform 15 and, when accurately positioned, may be scribed through slots 31. By aligning the scribe marks with these slots, model 35 may be accurately repositioned after removal from the platform for processing.

It will be noted that, by virtue of its universal joint mounting on base 1d, lower platform 15 may be tilted in any direction and readily locked by operation of pin or bolt 25. Additionally, by loosening lock nuts 16, stud 14 may be raised or lowered to change the height of platform 15. However, this latter adjustment is seldom necessary.

The upper platform is supported for universal adjustment on the upper ends of legs 12. The upper ends of these legs are apertured to receive threaded shafts 36 extending from circular disks 37. Nuts 38 engage shafts 36 to clamp disks 37 against movement, spring washers 41 holding nuts 38 against movement.

Disks 37 are formed with radial slots 42 which receive a shaft releasably held in the slots by springs 43 secured to disks 37 As a safety measure, screws 44 are threaded into disks 37 across the outer ends of slots 42. Shaft 45, supporting upper platform 4%, may be readily removed from the articulator by retracting screws 44 and drawing the shaft out of slots 42.

A block 46 is fixedly secured to shaft 45 and has rigid therewith an internally threaded post 47 which receives the stem 48 of a ball member 49 forming part of a universal joint assembly 59. Stem 4-8 extends through an oval aperture in body 51 of a ball housing including a cap 52 telescoped over a reduced portion of body 51. A ball member 53 seats in cap 52 and has a stem 54 extending through an oval aperture in the cap.

Ball members 49 and 53 may be locked against movement by a stud 55 extending through aligned apertures in body 51 and cap 52, and in a clamp plate 56, and threaded into a clamp plate 57. Clamp plates 56, 57 are engageable with the ball members. By tightening stud 55, plates 56, 57 are drawn tightly against the ball members, and by loosening stud 55, the housing 51-52 may be readily angularly repositioned.

Stem 5 of ball member 53 is threaded into a strap 60 secured to and extending forwardly from upper platform 48. Platform 4% is provided with a backrest 61 having slots 62 therein. A stud or screw 63 extends through backrest 61 and is threaded into a spring biased clamp 64. Manipulation of screw 63 tightens or loosens da um.

clamp 64 relative to an upper model 65 mounted on platform 40. When the model is accurately positioned on platform 4% and clamped thereto by tightening stud 63 to draw clamp 64 against the model to hold the latter firmly against backrest 61, the model is scribed centrally of slots s2. Thereby, if the model 65 is removed for processing, it may be accurately re-positioned on platform 40 by aligning the scribe marks with slots 62.

The outer or free end of strap 60 is formed with an outwardly opening keyhole slot 66 formed with a circular enlargement 67 intermediate its ends. Enlargement 67 receives a pair of mating hemispheres 68 having mating diametrically extending semi-cylindrical grooves in their flat surfaces receiving an incisal guidance pin 70 of larger radius than such grooves. A screw 71 having an enlarged operating head 72 extends through an aperture in one fork of strap or arm 60 and is threaded into the other fork. By loosening screw 71, pin 70 may be adjusted angularly and longitudinally of strip 6% and is clamped in adjusted position by tightening screw 71. The enlarged recess 72 at the inner end of slot 66 provides an additional seat for hemispheres 63 for further adjustment of incisal pin 70;

The lower end of pin 70 has an operating collar '73 by means of which the pin may be suitably positioned, usually vertically, for adjustment of the proper height relation of upper platform 40 to lower platform 15. It will be noted that pin 70 may be positioned to extend vertically irrespective of the adjusted position or orientan'on of platform 40.

Upper platform 41? has both pivotal, tiltable and longitudinal adjustment relative to lower platform 15, all by manipulation of the single stud 55 controlling the double universal joint assembly 50. Thus, the upper platform is readily and easily adjustable for the potential retrusion of the lower jaw.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative construction of the double universal joint. In this embodiment, a body member 51 receives ball 53 having a stern extending through an enlarged oval slot in the body member. A cap member 52' is threaded onto the body member and seats ball 49 having a stem extending through an enlarged oval slot in the cap member. Stud is mounted on the side of the body and extends through a clamp member 55' and is threaded in clamp member 5'7.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dental articulator, a base; a lower model supporting platform mounted on said base; support means extending upwardly from said base; an upper model supporting platform; articulated universal joint means mounting said upper platform on said support means for longitudinal, lateral and tilting adjustment relative to said lower platform; an arm secured to and extending forwardly from said upper platform; and an incisal guidance pin having a universal mounting in the free end of said last named arm and longitudinally adjustable in its mounting, the lower end of said pin engaging said base.

2. In a dental articulator-as claimed in claim 1 in which said last-named arm has a forked free end receiving a pair of mating hemispheres having mating diametrical grooves in their facing surfaces slidabl receiving said pin; and adjusting means in the said fork end effective to adjust the separation of the two parts of the fork to clamp said hemispheres firmly against said pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 281,311 Snell July 17, 1883 981,430 Kennedy Jan. 10, 1911 1,102,741 Hardie July 7, 1914 1,684,393 Gysi Sept. 18, 1928 1,906,797 Lentz May 2, 1933 2,608,762 Fox Sept. 2, 1952 2,621,407 Schlesinger Dec. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 64,042 Denmark Oct. 22, 1945 1,017,719 France Sept. 24, 1952 

